balderston



W. BALDERSTON.

BATTERY.

APPLICATION HLED AuG.6. |920A Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

2 bHtETS-SHEETI W. HALDERSTUN.

BATTERY.

Arme/mon HLED Aueb.` :920,

Patented J an. 24, 1922.

2 SHkEfS-SHEET 2.

10 claimed in U. S.

UNITED s'rArEsJPATEN'r oFFicE.

WILLIAM BALDEBSTON,

F MADISON, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR T0 FREIGH BATTERY t CARBON C0., 0F MADISON, WISCNSIN,

A GORPORATION 0F WISCONSIN.

BATTERY.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paton ted Jub 24 1922.

Application tiled August 3, 1920. Serial No. 401,713.

To all 'whom t may f 'orecerw Be it known that l, .VinLuM. lALnnns'roN, a citizen of the United States. residingI at Madison, in thc county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have 'invented a new and useful Improvement in Batteries. of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on the battery disclosed and application ot' Otto E. Ruhoilj, Donald W. Tyrrell and myself, Number .383221, and May e1, ieee. v

The primary object of the invention is to rovide a battery in which cells may be in- 16 troduced with the carboirpole presented upwardl the cells beingi automatically connccted in series by introducing'thcm into the battery.

The fundamental purpose of a battery of .Q this type is to enable practically all of tho electrical energy of the cells to be utilized and a more uniform voltage in the battery to be maintained. For illustration, it is proposed, in connection with a tour-cell battery,

'25 to use a lamp rated at about 3 volts, starting with two cells, and after the voltage drops adding another cell, and, when necessary, another cell, thus building!` up the voltage of the battery as may be necessary. Then, as the voltage drops and the light becomes dim, one of the oldest cells is removed and replaced by a new cell. Subsequently. another of the oldesty cells is removed and re placed by a new cell; and then. from time to 85 time, the oldest cell is removed and replaced by a new one. In this manner, the voltage may be kept reasonably uniform, and the several cells may be used until each, in turn, is practically exhausted. Thus. instead of 40 losing from one-third to one-half of the electrical energy contained in a cell; practically the entire energy of the cell will be utilized.

The invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings. in which- Y Fig. 1 represents an elevational view of a lantern embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a broken vertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 2 of gn 3; Fig. 3, a plan view, dshowing. the lid ai the container open;

4, a plan sectional view taken Yas indicated at line -1 of Fig. 2, the cells having heenremoved from the container; Fig. 5, a broken vertical sectional view takenas indicated at M Line 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, a broken vertical Fig. v

sectional view taken as indicated at line 6 of Fig. 5, and showing a detail of a circuitcloser employed. l

In the constructionillustrated, A represents a container havingr a body A' and a cover A2 of insulating material, and having a metallic base portion A3 within which the lower end portion of the body Af is secured; B represents a metallic supporting frame secured to the metal base portion ,Af and equipped with a handle or bail B,said frame being adapted to serve as a 4support for the structure and being equipped centrally below the container with a lamp-Socket B2 which receives a lampbulb B3: C, C', C2 and C, a series of cells arranged in a circle within the container; and D, a central post, preferably of wood or other insulating material, which is rigidly secured, by means of a screw-rod D', to the bottom of the containerbody A.

The central post is provided at its fourl vertical sides with concavities which conform to the cells. Thus, the post presents radial division walls l')2 which enter between the cells: and the cells are confined between the concave surfaces and the cylindrical wall ati'ordedby the body A.

Each of the cells preferably has its zinc container sheathed in a cardboard tube c, the bottom of the zinc container being left uncovered for contact purposes', and each cell has au upwardly presented carbn pole c'.

The body A may be formed of hea'vy cardboard or vulcanized fiber. The bottom wall of said body is designated A; and interposed b'etween the member and the bottom wall of the cup-shaped metal base AB is a coating or disk of 4insulation A.

The construction described forms a nest for the cells of the'battery.` Within this nest is arranged a Series o,f zincpole contacts il, 2. 3 and 4, arranged'to form a rectangle above the bottom A, these zinc-pole contacts being normally connected automatically in series when the cells are removed. With the exception of the member 1, the zinc-pole contacts are provided with4 vertical extensionswhch lead to the top of the container'and arel adapted to be connected, through the medium of Contact members carried bv the cover, with the carbon-poles of the cells. It we assume the current to pass 'from the cells by `way of the carbon-poles,

the vertical extensions referred to really constitute downward leads for conductimf the current from the carbon-pole of one ce to the zinc-pole of the next cell in the series.v The downward lead from the last cell of the series is a'orded by e Wire 5.

'I he member 1 comprises a. sustantially horizontal portion l which serves as a zinc-pole Contact, a coil 1", a horizontal ofiset portion 1, and a vertical shank portion 1d secured to the vertical well of the container-bodv A; the member 2 comprises a substantial horizontal portion 2 which serves as a zinc-pole' Contact, a coil 2, a hori zontal offset portion 2, a, vertical lead 2d. a coil 2"V at the up er end, anda contact 2t arried by the coil 2; the member .3 comprises similar parts', designated by the numerel 3 with ,corresponding index letters; the gnember 4 comprises similar parts, designate'd by the numeral t with corresponding index letters; and the member K5 comprises a short horizontal portion 5c, a vertical portion 5 an upper coil 5e, and a Contact member 5t carried by the coil 5.

The Contact members and extensions are secured to the container by staples. The

- member 2f; the contact-member i with the bottom wall A* by inner surface of the cover A2 is equipped with a series of spring-contacts 6 7, 8 and 9, adapted, when the cover is closed, to bridge the space between the carbon-poie of each `cell'and thepeontact-member carried by the upper end of the appro iriatc.downward lead. so that when the cells are in the nest and the cover closed, the cells will be ronnected in series. Thus. thiI contact-member 6 is adapted to bridge the space between the carbon-pole of the cell C and the contact- H is adapted to bridge the space between the carbon-pole of the Cell C and the Contact member 3f; and so on throu h the series. The lower Coi s l". 2". ete, are connected' means ot' stapies 10. The vertical portions of the wires am connected with the cylindrical wall ot' the member A by means nf staples ll. The zinc-pole contacts l, 2, ctr. have their free end portions extending freely through stles 12 carried by the bottom wall A; and) the free extremities of these zine-pole contacts normally make Contact with the offset horizontal portions 2, u, etc. of the wires, so that, assuming the cells to be removed, the z'inc-pole contacts are connected in seri s, The last zinc-pole Contact 4* of the` serios normally makes rontact with the offset pon tion 5 of the downward leudqnernber 5. The vertical portion 5 of the last down-- ward lead of the seri'es is connected, b v a conductor i3, with one of the points of a switch or circuit-einser E whichl is applied to the vertical wall of the container A. The switch-point- 14 is connecteds by a conductor 15, with the central Contact of the lamp-bulb .39. The vertical shank portion l o-f the first ziuepole contact of the series is connected. by a conductor 16, with the met-al base A* of the container. ,The current may be assumed `to pass through the conductor 16 to the metal frame, thence through the shell of the shank of the lamp-bulb, thence through the lamp-bulb to the central Contact thereof, andV back by the wire 15 to the switffin The cover A2 is connected with the container-body A by means of a hinge- 17; und the cover is provlded with a springcatch 18 adapted to engaffe e catch-member 18ia with which the body i is equipped.

Bearing in mind that the shell oF the lampbulb is grounded in the metal frame and that the metai frame: is connected through the medium of the'wire 16 with the contact-member 1. while the central terminal of the lampbulb is ronnected, through the medium of the wire i5. with one of the switrhmints. it `will be seen that there is a eircnit rom the con durtor 16 through the zine-pole contacts in series lo the member 5, and thence through the conductor 13 to the switch. lf a cell be introdiwed. it will automatically interrupt the contant between its own zinc-pole cuntact und the next zinc-pole content of the se ries and the cell will itself be uutomatieaiiy connected or introduced into the circuit. For illustration, if u neil be introduced into the first compartment of the nest` it will de press the zinc-pole contnot l, thus breaking contact between the extremity of the nieniier 1" und the portion 2 of the next content member of thv series. t the same time, the circuit Vwill he :eestabiished through the :eine ot' (he relhhenre through the filling metorial o1' the veil and the carbon-pole, theme throng-h the.l bridging contini-member to the r4uitzurthnwnillrr 2f. thence down through the lend 2". und thenrithrough the; tim i i contactmember Lf and [lio remaining pole mun:lvluneinhens to the venturi nmrin .i i which is ronm'rted with one ni tluswitchpoints. in the saune manner. it :i weil he inirodln-ed in any of the comparfInenh-:. it wiil antoimdiralll.' interrupt the mnnevtion be tween the rontectxmembers at the base of the' nest and rrecstubiish the circuit through itself.

Hy using a. lamp of approximately one half the combined voltage of the number of cells for which the battery is designed, assuming run-h relis to he fresh, it is possibic lo operate with a reduced number of cells :it they outset, and introduce fresh cells. from time to time. to bolster up the voltage, each coll bring discarded, in turn, after having utilized practically all of its electrical energy. By employing this method of oper tion, the voltage muy be kept fairly uni orin, moreover:

It will he understood that the invention is gli adapted to enable practically all of the electrical energy of the cells to be utilized, not only for the purpose of operating a light in the manner described, but also for any other urpose where such a battery may be desired. urther economy results from the capability of employing the cell-holder for a prolonged period of time, simply by introducing new cells, as needed, thus avoiding the expense Aof constructing an entirely new-battery when the cells become exhausted.

lVhile the preferred' embodiment for the purpose described is illustrated, any suitable embodiment may be employed.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understandinf only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as perA missible in view of the prior art.

What l regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. In a battery, .the combination of a cellholder equipped at its base portionj with zincpole contact-members normally connected in series, a cell adapted to be introduced therein with its carbon-pole presentedy upwardlr. said cell beingr adapted when inserted ar ally to interrupt the connection at the 'baseportion of said celtholder and establish itself in circuit, and means for establishing;jr connection between the carbon-pole of the cell and one of the zinc-pole contacts of the ser1es.

2. In a battery, the combination of a cellhold'er having a series of compartments, each compartment being equipped at its lower end with a zinc-pole contactfrnember, said con tact-members being automatically connected in series, leads extending from the upper portion of the cell-holder and normally in circuitV with said zinc-pole contact-members` and means at the upper end of said cellholder for establishing connections between the-carbonpoles of cells and said leads.

3. In a battery, the combination of a cellholder provided with a pluralityy ot' compartments equip-pcd at their base portions with zinc-pole contacts automatically connected in series, leads extending from said zinc-pole contacts to the upper end of the cell-holder. a cover for the cell-holder. and bridging contact-members carried by said cover and adapted to establish connections between the carbon-poles of cells and said leads.

4. In a battery, the combination of a container provided with cell compartments, zinc-polo contact-members d'is'posed above the bottom of said container and normally established in series, said contact-members being depressible to automatically interrupt the circuit when cells are introduced. leads extending from said contact-inernlwrs to the upper end of the container` and a member equipped with a series of bridging contact-members adapted to connect lthe carbon-pole of each cell with the lead which members adapted to automatically establish connection between the carbon-pole of each cell introduced and the lead which is next in series.

6. In a battery, the combination of a container provided with a series of cell compart-ments, a series of zinc-pole contactmembers in the lower portions of said compertinents, said contact-members having leads extending to the upper portion of the container, excepting the first contact-mmm ber of the series, an independent lead ex tending from the upper portion of the container to the lower end thereof, the last contact-member of the series making auto, maticr'ontact with said last-mentioned lead, and each of the other contact-members otl the series making automatic contact with the next contact-member of the series, a closure, and bridging contact-members carried by .said closure and adapted to connecl the carbonpole of each cell introduced with the lead which is next in series.

7( In a battery, the combination of a container prorided with a plurality df cellcompartments, a series of zinc-pole contactmembers mounted in the lower portions of said compartments and equipped with leads extending to the upper portion ofthe container, the irst contact-member of the series being without such lead, an independent lead extending from the upper portion of the container to the lower portion thereof, said contact members being automatically connected in series and the last cont' .act` member being automatically connected withv the last mentioned lead, said contact-members being ada ted to be displaced by cells introduced an thus interrupt theseries,

a closure device, and bridging contact-memv portions of sai said compartments and normally connected in Series, each of said contact-members having a horizontal spring-arm,an oli'sethorizontalportion, and a vertical lead portion,

-the spring-arm of one contact-member nor- '.mally bearing against the oli'set portion of the next contact member in' the series, an'

lgffaitacting with the offset portion of the succeeding contact-member, outlet cop-ducto s connectedf with the first'zinc-pole contact-'member' olf the series and with the last lead of the series, a closure device, and contacts carried by said closure device and adapted to establish connection between the carbon-poles of cells introduced 'and the sncceeding leadsylin series.

9. In a battery, the combination of a container provided with a plurality of cell compartments, arranged in a lygonal series in the lower compartments and normall contacting with eachother in series, l `s extendin from said contact-members to the upper pdtion ofthe container, the last lead of the series making contact with the last zinc-pole contact of the series, outlet connections for the first zinc-pole contact of the series and the last lead of' the series, and means in the upperfportion of the container for bridging the spaces between the carbonpoles o'f cells introduced and the leads, in series.

10. The combination of a container provided with a bottom of insulating material, a series of substantially horizontal spring contact-members mounted on said bottom and arranged in series, leads extending from said contact-members to the upper portion of the container, and means in the upper portion of the container lfor establishing connections between the carbon-poles of cells introducedand said leads, in series.

1l. In a battery, the combination of acontainer comprising a cylindrical wall -and bottom wall of insulating material, means dividing said container into cell compartments, a series of spring contact-members extending across the bottoms of said compertinents and normally connected in series, leads extending from said contact-members to the upper portion of the container, said leads being secured to said cylindrical wall and equipped at their upper ends with contact-members, and a closure for said container eq'uip d with bridging contact-mem` bers adapte to establish connection between zinc-pole contact-members the carbon-poles of cells introduced andthe contact-members at the upperends of said leads. p

12, In a'battery, the combination of a container of msulatin material, means dividing said container into cell compartments, a' series of spring contactmembers in the series, an independent lead making contact 'I6 with the last contact-member of the series, a closure equipped with bridging contactmembers for establishing connections between the carbon-poles of cells introduced and said leads in series, a metallic support- 80 ing frame, a switch, andoutlet'connections for the first sprin contact-member of the series and the last lead of the series, one ofL said outlet connections being connected with said metallic frame and the other being connected with the switch.

- 13. In a battery, the combination ot' a cylindrical container, a 'central post rising from .the bottom thereof and provided with means for dividing the containera into cell compartments, a 'series of spring contactmembers in the lower portions of ysaid compartments and contacting with each other in series, a Series of leads extending to the upper portion of the container,a closure,

and a series of bridging contact-members adapted to establish`connections between the carbon-poles of cells introduced and the leads, in series.

14. In a battery of the character set forth,

a container provided with a plurality of cell compartments, and a series of combined lead-and-contact members, each comprising a substantially horizontal contact-arm in the bottom of a compartment, a coil-spring connected with the base'portion of said arm, and a lead rising from said coil spring.

l5. In a battery of the character set forth,` a container provided with a' plurality of cell compartments, and a series of combined lead-and-contact members, each comprising a substantially horizontal'contact-arm in the bottom of a compartment, a coil spring connected with the base portion of said arm, a

lead rising from said coilspring, and a spring contact carried by the upper end portion of said lead.

16. In a battery, the combination of a con-- tainer provided with a plurality of cell compartments, and a series of combined lowland-contact members, each comprising a horizontal spring-arm. a coil at the base portion thereof, a vertical lead wire. and

staples connecting each lead-and-contact member with said container.

WILLIAN BALDERSTNA 

